Oklahoma 23, Mississippi State 15
Oklahoma defeated Mississippi State 23–15 on Saturday, October 24, in Starkville. The Sooners’ game center showed the fourth quarter complete, and both schools’ scoring summaries listed the same final result.
The win put Oklahoma at 4–3 overall. Mississippi State also stood at 4–3 after the game. It was the teams’ first football meeting, adding a new result to Oklahoma’s SEC schedule.
Sources: Oklahoma Athletics — completed Mississippi State game center and statistics ↗ · Mississippi State Athletics — Oklahoma scoring summary ↗ · Oklahoma Athletics — Mississippi State game primer and first-meeting context ↗
The Sooners built their lead before halftime
Oklahoma scored three points in the first quarter and seven in the second to lead 10–0 at halftime. The Sooners then outscored Mississippi State 10–7 in the third quarter, taking a 20–7 advantage into the fourth.
The Bulldogs added eight points in the final period while Oklahoma added three. That reduced the final margin to eight points, but Mississippi State could not erase the lead it had conceded during the first three quarters.
Sources: Mississippi State Athletics — Oklahoma scoring summary ↗
Mateer leads an offense with 467 yards
John Mateer finished with 283 passing yards. Tory Blaylock led Oklahoma’s rushing production with 71 yards, while the Sooners gained 184 yards on the ground as a team.
Oklahoma’s 467 total yards exceeded Mississippi State’s 352. The Sooners converted seven of 16 third downs, compared with one of 11 for the Bulldogs. Mississippi State running back Fluff Bothwell had 111 rushing yards. The numbers show the Bulldogs found production on the ground but converted relatively few third-down chances.
Sources: Oklahoma Athletics — completed Mississippi State game center and statistics ↗
A first meeting with familiar connections
Oklahoma’s official preview identified Mississippi State as the only SEC program the Sooners had never faced in football. It also described the connections between the coaching staffs.
Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby had served as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023. Mississippi State assistants Phil Loadholt and Jon Cooper had both played on the Sooners’ offensive line. Those ties gave the matchup a shared history even though the teams had no previous game against each other.
Sources: Oklahoma Athletics — Mississippi State game primer and first-meeting context ↗
Where the result fits on Oklahoma’s schedule
The Sooners entered this trip after a 21–13 home loss to Kentucky on October 17. A week earlier, they had beaten Texas 27–24 in Dallas. The win in Starkville returned Oklahoma to the win column before another home SEC game.
Oklahoma’s schedule lists South Carolina in Norman on October 31 at 3:15 p.m. Central. A trip to Florida follows on November 7, with the exact kickoff still shown as a window when checked. Saturday’s Mississippi State game was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Central on SEC Network at Davis Wade Stadium.
Sources: Oklahoma Athletics — Mississippi State game primer and first-meeting context ↗ · Oklahoma Athletics — 2026 football schedule ↗
Prepared with AI assistance. Source-based reporting checked on October 24, 2026. This article does not update automatically. Read our editorial standards.
